Submarine Base, Groton, Conn. REPORT NUMBER 549 SALIVARY ACID-BASE LEVELS DURING EXPOSURE TO AN ELEVATED CARBON DIOXIDE ATMOSPHERE

Dental diseases, including periodontal disease, at times become vexacious health problems on submarine patrols. Dental calculus is thought to play a role in periodontal disease. Little is known about the oral factor on patrol which may influence the calculus formation rate. Past studies indicate that the salivary pH may have a role in this formation. The saliva from the anterior sublingual pool of 25 crew members of a Polaris submarine was collected on each of six successive days before patrol and on the 31st through the 36th days of patrol. Of the 25 men tested, 19 had pH elevations on patrol which were statistically significant when compared with the pre-patrol values. It is concluded that on patrol changes do occur in salivary characteristics which are worth further study in examining salivary component and calculus relationships. SALIVARY ACID-BASE LEVELS DURING EXPOSURE TO AN ELEVATED CARBON DIOXIDE ATMOSPHERE